Internal-combustion engine with regenerator



Sept. 23, 1952 F. R. BELL 2,611,242

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH REGENERATOR Filed Jan. 1a, 1948 2 smETs-sHI-m'r 1 Fig .1

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Sept. 23,1952 F. R. BELL ,6 1,

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE WITH REGENERATOR Filed Jan. 13, 1948 2 SI-IEETS-SHEETZ Patented Sept. 23, 952

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: JmGreat Britain January 20, 1947 through. the turbo -blolwerstakenson theJine, le-2 ofFigurel: 1,

: .Figuretis asectionalplanmfione halfijof. th

:partsof-theheat exchangersremov Figure 4 is a fragmentary section, similar to Figure 2, taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 1.

In carrying the invention into effect according to one convenient mode as illustrated in the drawings, the power turbine comprises a series of axial flow turbine rotors I mounted on a shaft 2 carried in bearings 3 and 4 suitably supported. The turbine rotors and their associated fixed blading may be of any convenient construction and are not shown in detail since such detail does not form an essential part of the present invention. At one end of the turbine casing 4 there is provided a reduction gear box 5, the end of the power turbine shaft 2 being connected through gears 6, l, 8 and 9 to a driven shaft in which extends parallel with and beneath the turbine shaft and is provided with a driving flange H.

A separate turbo blower is provided comprising a single radial-flow air impeller I2 mounted on a shaft l3 which is supported in bearings M. This shaft, which is separate from the power turbine shaft 2 though coaxial therewith, is rotatable in the same direction as the latter shaft, and has mounted upon it a single turbine rotor indicated at Hi. The blower is provided with the usual diifuser vanes It. The opposite end of the blower shaft 13 is connected by bevel gearing H to an electric starting motor l8.

Above the turbine casing 4a is mounted a combustion chamber in which are generated the hot gases required to operate the turbine rotors, the said chamber being adapted for the combustion therein of liquid fuel. The combustion chamber comprises a cylindrical body l9 having a conical or domed end 20 in which is mounted a liquid fuel burner 2|. The opposite end of the body I! is connected to an angle duct 22 leading to the inlet of the turbine blading. n opposite sides of the duct 22 and part of the combustion chainlClainig'iCl. 60 -7293511 i f be -.13 ar arrangediheat'exchangers 2.3

tion" Lb'f which jis' ,to ",pre-heatlthe'jair from f blowerbyjmeans ofthe exjli'austfgase'sjfro turbine; '1 Thes heatiehangers may be trans? convenient construction,v -c but preferabl" comprise a system or metal plates 7 parallel with heach other adapted. miornr narrow passagesfoh the air ande'xhaust gases respectively. The "said plates are indicat conveniently 'eom rise alternate .ilatf c gated plates, varranged as show .and" tde'scri bedfin UnitedvStatesLPatentJNoh25531030. c, I

Thercomponents abovle described are enclosed inaihousingwhichis also adapted .toform parts of the ducting associated with 'thesaid' coinr of the blower. The blower casing 21 is carried by a flange 21 formed on the inner vertical face of this housing section 24.

An end section 28 is secured to section 24 by bolts 28 and has a lower part 30 which extends back towards the turbine. An intermediate casing section 3! carries the fixed blading of the power turbine and has a flange 32 which is bolted to a flanged face 33 on the lower part 30 of the end section 28. A part of the intermediate casing section 3| is shaped to form a portion of an annular exhaust gas passage 34, the remainder of this passage being formed by appropriately shaped parts of the lower part 30 of the end section 28. This part also carries the bearings 3, 4 which support the turbine shaft 2.

The combustion chamber is carried in part by an end cover 35 bolted to the outer face of the end casing section 28 and by a support 36 which also forms a part of the duct 22.

The heat exchangers 23 are located on opposite sides of the duct 22 and also lie on opposite sides of part of the length of the combustion chamber and turbine as previously described and are in communication with the exhaust passage 34 through openings 31 and at their opposite ends through openings 38 with passages indicated generally at 39 with an outlet or silencer.

With the various parts arranged as above described the air flowing into the air inlet 25 of the housing is directed into the eye 26 of the turbo-blower and is discharged from there to one end of the heat exchangers 23 along which through the annular exhaust passage 34 to the end of the heat exchangers opposite that at which;

4 turbine and communicating at one end by a duct with the inlet end of the turbine, a pair of heat exchangers arranged along opposite sides of the duct and along part of the length of the combustion chamber and forming separate narrow air and gas passages through-which air from the blower and gas from the ..turbine can flow in opposite directions respectively, the air passages being in communication at opposite ends respec- "jtionchamber remote from the blower, and the the cold air enters, the path of the gases-being shown by the arrows in Figure 3. After flowing tively with the blower and the end of the combusends of the gas passages remote from the blower through the heat exchanger in a'direction opposite to that taken by the cold air the gases are discharged to a silencer, it necessary, through passages 39 formed on the housing. adjacentto.

the air inlet passage 25,

By the combination and arrangement of parts above described, and by forming in the housing at least a portion of the ducting between the various components, I am able to provide a power unitfor such purposes as those above specified in a compact and convenient form; The invention is not, however, restricted to the example de scribed, as subordinate details may be modified to suitdiflerent requirements. V Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent A power unit comprisingjin cornbinationa turbine having a gas inlet atone end and'an exhaust passage at the opposite end, a turbo blower arranged at the inlet'end of and coaxially with the turbine, an air inlet passageleading tothe blow er, a combustion chamber situated alongside the being in communication with the exhaust passage of the turbine, a gas outlet communicating with the other ends of the gas passages, and a housing enclosing the turbine, turbo-blower, and

-heat exchangers, the air inlet passage, the exhaust passage, and the gas outlet being formed at least in part by the housing.

FRANCIS ROBERT BELL.

I REFEEENCES CITED The following referencesare of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,375,006 Larrecq May 1, 1945 

